ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Indentured servitude in the Americas

Indentured servitude means that someone works for another person for a certain period of time without getting paid. It's like a really long internship!

A long time ago, when people from Europe were coming to live in America, some didn't have a lot of money to get started. So they would work for someone else for a while, usually around five to seven years, in exchange for transportation to America, food, and a place to live. This was called being an indentured servant.

Indentured servants were treated like property and had to do whatever their master told them to do. But after their time was up, they became free and could work for themselves, earn money, and start a new life in America.

Indentured servitude was practiced in the Americas for a long time, from the 17th to the 19th centuries. Many people chose this because it was a way for them to start a new life and have a better future, even if it meant working for someone else for a while.

However, as time passed, some people started to abuse indentured servitude. They would trick people into being an indentured servant for a longer time than they originally agreed to, or they would mistreat them and not give them the basic things they needed to survive. This was not fair and it led to the idea that all people should be treated equally and have the right to their own life and freedom.

Luckily, today we have laws that protect workers and make sure that everyone is treated fairly, no matter what their job is.